Page 9 of The Christmas Fix
“Hey, Paige. I just talked to Kathy Hai,” Cat said, cutting to the chase.
“Oh! How is she? How’s April?” Paige asked. Cat’s sister-in-law had an uncanny memory for the families they’d featured on all four seasons ofKings of Construction.
“It was hard to hear her over the hurricane bearing down on her.”
“Oh, no! I haven’t caught up on the news. Are they going to be okay?”
Cat blew out a frustrated sigh. “I don’t know. I mean it’s a direct hit.”
“And their house is across from the park,” Paige said, getting the gist.
“And the river.”
“If they need anything at all, you know you can count on Gannon and me.”
“Thanks. I think I just want someone else to worry about them with me.”
“Consider me your partner in concern,” Paige promised. “How’s Operation School Days coming?”
Cat flopped down on her overstuffed sofa and turned off the TV. “I’m not on speaker phone, am I?”
“No.”
“Good. Because I’m so fucking pumped about it. I think I just found my ideal facilities manager, and I’ve got a few lines on some other VIP staff. And I’m dying to talk about it. But until I have a location, what am I going to say?”
“That you’re an amazing woman who is going to train other amazing women to work in trades and run their own businesses?” Paige suggested.
“Awh. You’re pretty amazeballs yourself, Paigey. How’s my beautiful niece?”
“Big, bad, and beautiful. Just like her daddy and her aunt.”
“What’s next on your busy filmmaker schedule?” Paige had gotten her start behind the camera in reality television. She’d worked her way up to director and had started her own production studio that developed documentaries. Her first documentary, on women in the television industry, had opened eyes across the country to double standards and inequalities. The Reno and Realty Network—probably fearful that Paige would take aim at them specifically—had started a program to advance women behind the camera and put in place an equal pay policy.
Paige filled Cat in on the particulars of her latest project. “But listen, when this school thing pans out, I’d be interested in documenting it.”
“Really?” Cat kicked her legs up over the arm of the couch. “Like a day in the life?”
“I’m thinking following the first class to graduation and then beyond.”
“You must have a lot of faith in me.”
“In the words of Gannon King, ‘I’d be a fucking moron not to.’”
“Yeah, that sounds about right. Is my uglier, older half around?” Gannon and Cat were twins born two minutes apart. Neither of them was hard on the eyes, and their sincere brotherly-sisterly angst had won the hearts of viewers everywhere. The reality TV world was still mourning the fact that Gannon had gone back to managing their grandfather’s construction business.
“He’s putting Gabby down, but he’ll want to know about the Hais.”
“I’ll call him tomorrow once I know how they fared.”
“Okay. If they need anything at all, let us know. I’m serious. I’ve got some time between now and the end of the year. And I know Gannon will juggle things to make time.”
“Will do, sis. Thanks.”
They ended the call, and Cat listened to the unceasing rain while staring up at her ceiling. She’d been in this space for five years now. Everything in the two-bedroom Brooklyn apartment was exactly the way she wanted it. The teal textured walls of the master bedroom. The refinished hardwood. The kitchen had taken her eight weeks of her own labor to get just perfect. Everything in it was just perfect right down to the custom-sized clawfoot tub in the bathroom.
It made her antsy.
Cat would never consider herself a settler-downer. Sure, Gannon made it look appealing with his smart-ass, beautiful wife and their gush-worthy baby girl in their gorgeous brownstone six blocks away. But that wasn’t for Cat. The idea of walking in the same door every day to the same man? It gave her the heebie-jeebies. Life was too big and bright for that. Maybe later. Maybe when she hit her mid-forties she’d change her mind. But for now, she loved her life just the way it is. Traveling light and not having to consider anyone else’s feelings or opinions on decisions. She went where she wanted when she wanted, slept with men without strings or guilt, and designed her space to exactly suit her tastes.
